English
This is called the noble truth of the cessation of suffering. 36. And what is the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, namely – right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. And what is right view? Knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the origin of suffering, knowledge of the cessation of suffering, knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering – this is called right view. And what is right intention? Intention of renunciation, intention of non-ill-will, intention of non-harming – this is called right intention. And what is right speech? Abstaining from false speech, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from idle chatter – this is called right speech. And what is right action? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from sexual misconduct – this is called right action. And what is right livelihood? Here, a noble disciple, having abandoned wrong livelihood, earns a living by right livelihood – this is called right livelihood. And what is right effort? Here, a monk, for the non-arising of unarisen evil, unwholesome states, generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. For the abandoning of arisen evil, unwholesome states... For the arising of unarisen wholesome states... For the maintenance, non-decay, increase, development, and perfection of arisen wholesome states, he generates desire, endeavors, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives – this is called right effort. And what is right mindfulness? Here, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. In feelings... …in mind… …he dwells observing mental qualities in mental qualities, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world—this is called right mindfulness. Therein, what is right concentration? Here, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and happiness. With the subsiding of initial application and sustained application, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which is internal assurance and unification of mind, without initial application and sustained application, born of concentration, filled with rapture and happiness. With the fading away of rapture, he dwells in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experiences happiness with the body, of which the Noble Ones declare: “He dwells in happiness with equanimity and mindfulness”—he enters and dwells in the third jhāna. With the abandoning of happiness and the abandoning of pain, and with the prior disappearance of joy and displeasure, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. This is called right concentration. This is called the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. That which is known by way of knowing is knowledge, that which is understood by way of understanding is wisdom. Therefore it is said: “This is the Noble Truth of suffering, this is the Noble Truth of the origin of suffering, this is the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering, this is the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering”—attentive listening, that understanding is wisdom, knowledge born of listening. Thus, in attentive listening, wisdom is knowledge born of listening. The exposition of knowledge born of listening is the first. 2. The exposition of knowledge born of virtue 37. How is wisdom, knowledge born of virtue, in restraint after hearing? Five virtues: virtue of limited purity, virtue of unlimited purity, virtue of complete purity, virtue of unadulterated purity, virtue of tranquilized purity. Therein, what is the virtue of limited purity? The limited training rules for those not fully ordained—this is the virtue of limited purity. What is the virtue of unlimited purity? The unlimited training rules for those fully ordained— – This is boundless purity of virtue. What is complete purity of virtue? For ordinary good people, who are engaged in wholesome states, who fulfill the training up to the limit of the trainees, who are unconcerned about body and life, who have sacrificed their lives – this is complete purity of virtue. What is ungrasped purity of virtue? For the seven trainees – this is ungrasped purity of virtue. What is tranquilized purity of virtue? For the disciples of the Tathāgata, who are destroyers of defilements, for Paccekabuddhas, for Tathāgatas, Arahants, Fully Self-Enlightened Ones – this is tranquilized purity of virtue. 38. There is virtue with a limit, there is virtue without a limit. Among these, what is that virtue with a limit? There is virtue limited by gain, there is virtue limited by fame, there is virtue limited by relatives, there is virtue limited by limbs, there is virtue limited by life. What is that virtue limited by gain? Here, someone, for the sake of gain, because of gain, for the reason of gain, transgresses a precept as it was undertaken – this is that virtue limited by gain. What is that virtue limited by fame? Here, someone, for the sake of fame, because of fame, for the reason of fame, transgresses a precept as it was undertaken – this is that virtue limited by fame. What is that virtue limited by relatives? Here, someone, for the sake of relatives, because of relatives, for the reason of relatives, transgresses a precept as it was undertaken – this is that virtue limited by relatives. What is that virtue limited by limbs? Here, someone, for the sake of limbs, because of limbs, for the reason of limbs, transgresses a precept as it was undertaken – this is that virtue limited by limbs. What is that virtue limited by life? Here, someone, for the sake of life, because of life, for the reason of life, transgresses a precept as it was undertaken – this is that virtue limited by life. Such virtues are broken, fractured, spotted, blemished, not free. Not praised by the wise, clung to, not conducive to concentration, not a basis for freedom from remorse, not a basis for joy, not a basis for rapture, not a basis for tranquility, not a basis for happiness, not a basis for concentration, not a basis for knowledge and vision of things as they are, not for utter disenchantment, not for dispassion, not for cessation, not for tranquility, not for direct knowledge, not for full enlightenment, not for Nibbāna do they lead – This is that limited virtue. What is that unlimited virtue? There is virtue not limited by gain, there is virtue not limited by fame, there is virtue not limited by relatives, there is virtue not limited by limbs, there is virtue not limited by life. What is that virtue not limited by gain? Here, some person, for the sake of gain, on account of gain, for the reason of gain, to transgress a training rule as undertaken, does not even give rise to a thought; how could he transgress! This is that virtue not limited by gain. What is that virtue not limited by fame? Here, some person, for the sake of fame, on account of fame, for the reason of fame, to transgress a training rule as undertaken, does not even give rise to a thought; how could he transgress! This is that virtue not limited by fame. What is that virtue not limited by relatives? Here, some person, for the sake of relatives, on account of relatives, for the reason of relatives, to transgress a training rule as undertaken, does not even give rise to a thought; how could he transgress! This is that virtue not limited by relatives. What is that virtue not limited by limbs? Here, some person, for the sake of limbs, on account of limbs, for the reason of limbs, to transgress a training rule as undertaken, does not even give rise to a thought; how could he transgress! This is that virtue not limited by limbs. What is that virtue not limited by life? Here, some person, for the sake of life, on account of life, for the reason of life, to transgress a training rule as undertaken, does not even give rise to a thought; how could he transgress! This is that virtue not limited by life. This is the limited. Such virtues are: unbroken, unholed, unspotted, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, untouched, conducive to concentration, having non-regret as their basis, having joy as their basis, having rapture as their basis, having tranquility as their basis, having happiness as their basis, having concentration as their basis, having knowledge and vision of things as they are as their basis. They conduce to utter disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. This is that virtue, unlimited. 39. What is virtue? How many virtues? What is the origin of virtue? How many factors comprise virtue? What is virtue? Intention is virtue, mental factor is virtue, restraint is virtue, non-transgression is virtue. How many virtues? Three virtues: wholesome virtue, unwholesome virtue, indeterminate virtue. What is the origin of virtue? Wholesome virtue originates from wholesome consciousness, unwholesome virtue originates from unwholesome consciousness, indeterminate virtue originates from indeterminate consciousness. How many factors comprise virtue? Virtue comprises restraint, virtue comprises non-transgression, virtue comprises the intention born of such a state. 40. Killing living beings is virtue by way of restraint, is virtue by way of non-transgression. Taking what is not given is virtue by way of restraint, is virtue by way of non-transgression.